Chapter 8

24.5K 560 21
                                    

           Valerie and Darren turned to look at Lyel who was standing with one arm draped around Miette’s shoulders. The woman was watching Valerie carefully her narrowed eyes betraying no feeling. “Lady Valerie, may I introduce my fiancée Lady Miette of Lacclair. Miette, this is Lady Valerie.”

            Miette curtsied neatly at the same moment that Val stuck her hand out. The shorter woman stared at the hand as she rose. Valerie flushed slightly and dropped her hand. “Sorry. We shake hands where I’m from. I’d curtsy now but I have no idea how you do it. Also, I’m in pants.”

            “I see. You are Darren’s princess,” she replied, her voice lit by a strange accent. Something that sounded French but with an almost Spanish way in how she treated her r’s.

            “Oh god no. I’m no princes. I’m not even a lady. And I most definitely don’t belong to Darren. He’s an idiot.”

            “Thanks,” the prince replied dryly. “Glad to know I have your respect.”

            She flashed a smirk at him. “I respect you when you do something deserving of it but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re an idiot.”

            “Lyel has told me a lot about you. He says you’re a Cinderella,” Miette said before the conversation could devolve into one of Val and Darren’s arguments.

            Valerie winced. “So everyone tells me. I don’t really believe in this whole princess thing. And…” Thinking about what the other woman had said as well as looking at the eyes that were still watching every move she made, Val was able to put things together. She winced again. “Umm Miette, can you show me to the ladies’ room?”

            Miette nodded once then curtsied to Darren and Lyel who were both staring as Valerie fell into step with her. When they were well out of earshot of the boys, Val leaned down slightly and whispered “I promise you I have no interest in Lyel beyond friendship. Beside the fact that he’s obviously head over heels for you, I have enough problems dealing with Darren to be interested in starting anything with someone else. And I would never get involved with someone already in a relationship.”

           Miette froze in mid-step. She slowly turned to face Valerie and studied her carefully. “You’re not what I expected,” she said finally, resuming her gliding walk.

            “Oh god, what did you expect? A five-letter word for dog?”

            That startled a little laugh out of her. “Truthfully, yes. I had heard you were most reluctant to return.”

            Valerie snorted. “Damn straight I was. Darren’s an ass.”

            A slight frown creased Miette’s forehead. “That doesn’t sound like his highness. He has always been the soul of chivalry to me and any of the ladies I have spoken with.”

            “Oh I know. He treated all the other girls he talked to like they were made of glass and was always polite. He just can’t handle the fact that I hate that and won’t put up with it. I’m afraid we were both angry, rude, and stubborn as hell in the early days. He’s much better now but every so often he forgets and well…then I have to hit him.”

            Miette stared at her again. “Are you certain you’re a Cinderella? You sound far more like a Sleeper or a Donkey Skin.”

            Val laughed. “Like I said, I don’t believe in the stupid princess crap. But yes, I do have a Stepmother and two Stepsisters. All three of whom I love dearly. Yes I went to the ball and left at midnight, leaving my shoe behind. But only because I’d thrown it at Darren’s head. But I don’t have a fairy godmother, I never worked like a slave and my stepfamily are perfectly wonderful to me.”

            Finally Miette smiled, her blue eyes lighting the rest of her face up. “You truly aren’t at all what I had expected.”

            “Okay now you have to tell me what you thought I’d be like.”

            They’d reached the manor door and Valerie held one open for Miette making the smaller woman smile again, her eyes glinting with amusement. Inside, candles and lanterns had been lit against the dying sunlight. They were in a large hall, wide banners and what looked like tapestries to Val hanging on the walls. Before her a large, wide staircase went up, flattening briefly out into a landing before continuing its journey to the second floor.            Stone railing edged the upper floor creating a kind of gallery for people to watch visitors enter. As was happening now.

            “Umm…Miette? Why are people staring at us?” she asked, turning away and smiling like she wasn’t feeling freaked out by the watchers.

            Miette looked up. She smiled and waved at the people staring. Their ages ranged greatly. Small children were peering out through the railings while greying men and woman leaned heavily on the rail. Young men and women were standing on their tip-toes, trying to peer down at them. “Oh. There’s nothing to worry about. They simply want to see you.”

            Valerie copied her, giving a half-hearted wave. The cheer she got in return made her start. “Now I know how zoo animals feel,” she muttered.

            Her companion laughed lightly. “Lyel never told me how amusing you are.”

            “I hope it’s the ‘you say funny things’ kind of amusing not the ‘you are a ridiculous person’ kind of amusing.”

            Miette laughed again. “Come with me. I’ll show you to your room.”

            Seeing the two women head towards the stairs, their audience scattered quickly. Valerie looked up at the hall the last two had disappeared down. “Huh. I thought they’d have stayed to pelt me with questions.”

            “Oh no. They would never do something like that.”

            “Why?” Valerie asked, pausing with her foot on the fourth step.

             “They were the household staff,” Miette replied, stopping just above Val.

            “What does that have to do with anything?”

            “Why, they’re commoners. They would never dare to question a noble!”

            “I’m not a noble. I’m a commoner as well. And really, like it matters.”

            Miette nodded and said quietly “That is certainly true. What you say here is safe but I beg of you, please don’t express such things at Court. There are plenty who would find it heretical.”

            Valerie looked at Miette’s face that was tense with worry. “Oh really?” she replied, drawing the syllables out. “I think this might be far more fun than I thought.”

            Miette blanched. After meeting the other woman’s eyes, her colour began slowly seeping back. “I think court will become most interesting with you in residence.”

            Val’s grin was harsh and razor edged. “I will make it very interesting.”

Cinderella vs. the Fairy Godmother (sequel)Where stories live. Discover now